Wheel.



PATBNTBD JULY 9.1907. G. W. RUHL.

WHEEL. f

` APPLIGATION FILED 1m11.28, 1906.

JNI/ENTo/e.

W1 TNESSLS.-

A TTORNE Ys UNITED sTATEs'- PATENT OFFICE.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentea'auiy 9, 1907.

Application sled March 28, -1906. serial No. 303,528..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon WILLIAM RUHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, in the county oi Mower and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Wheel, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels and has for its object to provide for cushioning the same in -a new andnovel manner so as to obviate the disadvantages oi' pneumatic tires.

While the wheel is capable of general application, it is particularly designed for use in connection with motor vehicles.

With these and other objectsv in view the present invention consists' in the, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the 'accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the'form, proportion, size and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of a wheel embodying the features of the present invention, parts being broken away to disclose the mounting of endwise yieldable spokes. Fig 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a slightly different arrangement of the yieldable spokes. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of thearrangement yshown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentarylperspective view of the tire arrangement shown in Figc-2. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the emergency springs for the yieldable spokes.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

The persent wheel includes a frame made up of a hub 1 having radial arms2, each carrying inner and outer concentric rims 3 and 4, all of which are rigidly connected. The rims are provided with corresponding radially disposed openings 5 and 6, in each pair of which worksa spoke 7 which is maintained at its outer limit by means otfa helical spring 8 embracing the spoke and bearing at its inner end against the inner rim 3 and at its outer end against a nut 9 adjustably threaded upon the Aspoke for varying the tension of the spring.

The tire of the wheel is made up of a series of relatively short metallic plates l0, the ends of which are provided with corresponding eyes or knuckles 1l receiving apivot pin 12, whereby the successive plates are hinged to one another. l I

As embodied in Fig. l it will be seen .that each spoke g is connected to the middle of the adjacent tire section 6r plate l0, whereby the hinged joints come between not only prevents the accumulation of dirt and the like thereon, but also protects the same from the effects of zthe weather and therefore maintains the springs in proper working condition.

' From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the tire 10 is yieldably mounted upon the rigid frame of the wheel through the medium of the endwise movable spokes and the springs, whereby theltire is capable o f yielding Without affecting the rigid frame of the Wheel which is of course cushioned and thereby relieved of sudden In the arrangement shown in mental arms 14 which produce radial sockets 15 in which the inner ends ot the spokes work. Adjoining the inner end of each socket there is a helical spring 16, the inner end ofthe spring being suitably connected to the hub and its outer end terminating short of the inner end of the spoke which is provided with a head 17. Under normal conditions the yieldable spokes do not strike the springs 16, but when' the vehicle is overloaded, the spok'es engage with the springs 16 which then form emergency cushioning devices so as to prevent undue compression ofthe spring It is preferred to have the spokes normally out of engagement with the emergency springs 16, for if such springs were normally engagedwith the spokes the wheelwould betoo' stiff.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isz- 1. wheel comprising aframe having inner and outer' rims provided with radial spoke openings, yieldable spokes mounted to operate in said openings of the rims, springs arranged between the rims each having one end engaging Ille inner rim, abutments carried by the spokes and bearing against the`outer ends'of the springs, oppositely arranged annular casings connecting the inner and outer rims and inclosing the said springs, and a flexible tire carried by the outer ends of the spokes embodying a series of plates having their ends pivotally connected to turn in the plane of rotation of the wheel, the plates beim,r operatively connected to the spokes.

2. A `Wheel comprising a frame including inner and outer rims connected by radial arms, the rims beim.: provided with corresponding radial openings, spokes working endwise through the openings and Aprojecting,r beyond the outer rim, abutments upon the spokes within the' rims, springs Fig. 5 of the drawings, 'the hub and the inner rim 3 are connected by suppleloro bearing in opposite directions against the abutments and the inner rim, emergency cushioning devices arranged on the frame in the path ofthe"innerfends of the spokes, and :1 iiexibie tire carried by the outer ends of the spokes.

A wheel comprising a frame including inner and Outer rims connected by radial arms and provided with corresponding radial openings, spokes working endwise through corresponding openings, allotments from the spokes between the 1'i1ns,'sp1ings emioracinj.r the spokes and bearing in opposite 'directions against the almtments and the inner rim, nnnniar cover plates secured to the rims and inciosing the space between them to form a. housing for the springs,

tions carried by' the'onter ends of thefspokes. l

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses: y

,and a'tire made np of a series of pvotally connected sec- 

